I do not, nor am I advocating, drug use. Yet, I find it more than fascinating that some of our greatest musicians have been, not to put too fine a point on it, pot heads. Leaving aside folks like Jerry Garcia and contemporary artists like Snoop Dogg, the use of marijuana has been part and parcel of American music for well over a century. Its slightly hallucinogenic effects, the way it seems to expand the perception of time, certainly offers to users the opportunity, within themselves, to explore various musical ideas with a sense of freedom they might not otherwise have.
The singular genius of Louis Armstrong was aided, in no small part, by his daily use of marijuana. Arrested for possession in Hollywood in the early 1930's, he was bailed out and fled to Europe where he toured for quite a while as his manager (a fringe member of organized crime) and attorneys sorted the issue out. Armstrong thanked his manager by dumping him for another with even closer connections to the mob, and in the process pissing off one of the great sociopaths of the underworld, Dutch Schultz (way to go, Louis). Here is one of his signature recordings, with the Hot 5's, "West End Blues":
One of the more famous consumers of cannabis is Willie Nelson. Growing it on his ranch, being quite open and honest about his use, Nelson is another of those singular American voices, transcending the limitations of his genre. Here he is with Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Kris Kristofferson looking on as he plays "Funny How Time Slips Away".
Around the time the next song was released, Paul and Linda McCartney were busted in Japan for possession. What's funny is they were completely unphased by it. Comparing their marijuana intake to their vegetarian lifestyle, they saw absolutely nothing wrong with it (which, I suppose, would fit with a couple who, like the others here, used it on an almost daily basis). While not as interesting a songwriter as George Harrison, or as provocative as John Lennon, McCartney's output has been quite strong (although perhaps not warranting nearly $1000 for a concert ticket!). Also, with Wings, he gave former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Lane a second chance. This kind of pop fluff is what McCartney is best known for, "Silly Love Songs":
